


No Such Thing (As Too Much Of A Good Thing)

by pieceofshir



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Multi, Other, Past Abuse, i dunno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 18:03:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17647313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pieceofshir/pseuds/pieceofshir
Summary: just a mega-soulmate thing I had on my tumblr (@pieceofshir shameless promo) that I want to keep safe





	1. Big Bang

“Hello hello, my dearest nerds!”  
Logan buried his head in his book as Roman began greeting everyone in the class. 12 years sharing a class with the man, and Logan could never get used to how… extra, Roman was. Of course, he’d be lying if he didn’t find it endearing. But he focused on his textbook and tried to stop himself from hoping that Roman would talk to him more than the usual greeting. His hand moved to rub at his right shoulder, where his soul mark began, in an attempt to remind himself that he already belonged to someone else. He didn’t necessarily understand the science behind it, seeing as there was none, but that didn’t stop him from hoping that it wasn’t just some weird birthmark.  
He was snapped out of his thoughts by the feeling of a hand on his. He looked up to see none other than Roman himself, staring at the galaxy swirls just barely peeking out of his black polo shirt. “Good morning, Roman.” Logan said, trying for a smile, but faltering when he saw that Roman’s eyes were moving between Logan’s eyes, and his mark. “Um, Roman?” He asked, concerned. He had never been shy about his mark, and he’d known Roman since kindergarten. Surely, this wasn’t his first time noticing it. Roman’s eyes snapped to his, and he blushed. He blushed? Logan, quiet, nerdy, nobody Logan, had made the hottest guy in school blush? “Um, hey, Logan…” Roman said, still shifting between his eyes and his shoulder, “Can I sit next to you? I’m lousy at chemistry.” Logan stifled a laugh, and then at Roman’s confused look, said, “Well, you must really need help, since this is Algebra.”  
Roman flushed bright red, and Logan motioned for him to sit down on his left, just as the teacher walked in. Sharing one last smile, the two both turned to their notebooks as the teacher immediately began reviewing the previous night’s work.  
Halfway through the class, Logan felt a tap on his left shoulder. Wordlessley, he turned his head to where Roman was discretely pushing his sweater to reveal-  
A soul mark.  
A soul mark that Logan knew very well, since he had the exact same one. He didn’t know what to say. Well, he couldn’t really say anything, seeing how the rest of the class was completely oblivious to Logan’s world crashing around him. Leave it to Roman to be so impatient as to show his soul mark in the middle of math class. Speaking of, Roman was looking at him expectantly, a slightly sheepish smile on his face, but his eyes were shining. Logan rolled his eyes fondly, but simply reached out and took Roman’s hand in his, and returned his focus to their teacher as she droned on about integrals. Roman let out the softest of squeals, and lifted Logan’s hand to his lips in what could only be described as a Disney Prince Move ™ Logan sighed, resigning himself to a life where he would never use his left hand again. Though, as he spotted Roman out of the corner of his eye, his tongue poking out of his mouth as he concentrated on a problem, Logan smiled to himself. There were worse ways to lose a limb.


	2. Sharing Is Caring, Except When It's Mine

The two were laying together on Roman’s bed, side by side, their hands intertwined between them. “So…” Roman began, turning his head slightly towards Logan. “So.” Logan said simply. Roman took a deep breath, returning his eyes to the ceiling. “I’m colorblind.” He said, which made Logan turn to him. He wouldn’t look at him, as if it was something for him to be ashamed of. “Like, specific colors?” Logan asked gently, “Or… The other kind of colorblind?” Still refusing to look at him, Roman nodded. There were countless different kinds of soulbonds, and, although rare, it wasn’t entirely unheard of for people to have more than one. In those cases, if only one member of a pair had multiple soul mates, they would usually form one romantic bond, and keep the rest strictly platonic. However, as Roman held his breath awaiting Logan’s reaction, he began to theorize. “Logan?” Roman whispered, turning on his side, and pulling Logan to do the same, “What’s going on in that big brain of yours?” Despite himself, Logan blushed. “I… I was just thinking…” He gently took his hand out of Roman’s grasp, and unclasped his watch revealing a thin black timer, counting down. 02:56:04:52:03 He looked up slowly, meeting Roman’s eyes. “Do you think… It’s the same person?” All the fear and worry melted away from Roman’s face as he smirked, tugging on Logan’s waist and pulling himself over him. “Well, whoever they better be, because I don’t plan on sharing you with just anyone.” As Roman leant down, Logan met him halfway in a kiss. “No matter who they are,” Logan mumbled against Roman’s lips, “You’ll always be my prince.”


	3. Fell For You

2 years later

“Come on, Princey!” Logan called as he fixed his tie in the mirror, “We’re going to be late!” Roman sauntered into their sad excuse for a living room, trademark smirk in place. “Logan, dearest.” He said, “We still have an hour, and class is five minutes away.”

“That’s not what I care about. At least, not today.” He rubbed his thumb under his watch, where his timer seemed to mock him.

00:00:08:34:59

“I just want to make a good impression.” Logan mumbled, causing Roman to laugh gently, and place his hand on Logan’s. “Logan, this is the one thing you can’t rush or be prepared for. Love isn’t, and shouldn’t be that predictable. We just have to trust that today, whatever happens, happens.” He pulled Logan in for a hug. During their time together, Roman was fluent in Logan, and he knew that although his boyfriend would never ask for, or even initiate, a hug, he needed them frequently. Logan was constantly terrified of not being good enough, and Roman could only hope that whoever they were inviting into their lives today would make Logan feel wanted.

Oh, and he was desperately praying that this mysterious love would cure his colorblindness.

“Come now, Specs.” Logan gave a weak chuckle at the nickname, “Let’s go get some coffee before classes start. My treat, seeing as it is your big day.” Logan tried to protest, but Roman cut him off with a kiss. “We know for sure that at the very least, you are meeting someone special today.” He corrected himself, and Logan nodded firmly. Roman ushered him out the door, making a mental note that he should probably learn to cook, or at the very least, pick up a coffee maker.

“So the teacher is singing showtunes, right? Valerie is stripping on my desk, and two kids were making out against the supply closet, and that is why we decided to move the final to next month.” Roman concluded his latest edition in The Unbelievable But True Tales Of The Drama Majors while Logan laughed. The two were walking down the hall of one of the science building, where Roman had just met Logan after their last lectures of the day. Roman was doing anything he could to take Logan’s mind off of the timer on the inside of his wrist.

00:00:00:10:56

“Enough about me, Specs. What’s new in chemical engineering?” Roman prodded. Logan’s entire face lit up, and he began to explain about… chemical engineering stuff. Roman never understood any of what Logan talked about, but he just loved the way that he would light up whenever he talked about the things he studied.  
The two stepped out into the late afternoon sun, where it seemed as though the entire campus was standing in between them and their dorm. The two exchanged a glance, and Logan tightened his grip on Roman’s hand.  
They began to push past the crowd, mumbling “Sorry.” and “Excuse me.” Over and over, but out of nowhere, a huge commotion began to their left.  
A fight.  
At least, that’s what Roman assumed, judging by the screams of “You’ll pay for this!” “Get him!” and some names being repeated. ‘Daniel’ and… 'Virgin?’ No, that definitely wasn’t it.  
As curious as Roman was, there wasn’t much he could do about it, since he was yanked away from Logan as the crowd ran towards the action. “Sweet mother of-!” He stumbled over a tree branch, closing his eyes and bracing himself for when he hit the ground-  
But he didn’t.  
Eyes still shut tight, he felt a pair of strong arms catch him, and a goofy voice said,  
“Wow, I guess you just fell for me.”  
Oh, god. That was one of the worst pick up lines Roman had ever heard, and he had been enduring Logan’s science-based lines for years. But as he opened his eyes to tell his savior as much, the words died in his throat.  
This man was not in greyscale.  
As the two stayed there, frozen, color bloomed all around them. As with Logan back in high school, the rest of the world continued as normal, unaware that two lost souls had just been united. Wordlessly, Roman’s savior helped him up, adjusting his glasses and smiling brightly. Roman tried to say something suave, but all that came out was, “You’re colorful.”  
And he was. Although Roman didn’t yet know what name to assign to everything he saw, but this man was full of bright hues. He wanted to continue to admire the man in front of him, but he was snapped out of his thoughts.  
“I’m not colorful, I’m Patton! And you are?”  
Patton. Such a lovely name for a lovely person. Just like with Logan, Roman found himself speechless. Lucky for him, he didn’t have to say anything, because a few feet away, Logan was calling for him.  
“Roman? Roman! There’s only a few seconds le-”  
Someone should really do something about that tree branch.  
Before Roman could react, Patton’s smile instantly faded, and he reached out and pulled Logan up by his backpack. Roman held his breath, waiting to hear-  
Two timers going off.  
This time, a few people turned their heads and smiled. Roman felt tears threatening to spill from his eyes, and when Logan glanced at him, one nod was all it took for Logan to start crying, which was too much for Roman. Patton, overwhelmed by the emotions, began to cry as well, and pulled the other two in for a group hug.  
“Well,” Patton said, smiling through his tears, “I suppose we have a lot to talk about.”


	4. Unboxing

They got a new dorm.  
Their R.A was super chill when Logan and Roman told him about meeting Patton, and he set them up with a dorm suitable for 4 instead of 2. When Patton found out that their dorm was meant for 4, he immediately began to beg for a dog, despite knowing that it would never happen.  
Adjusting to life with Patton was difficult, but it was so worth it in the others’ eyes. The three had agreed that it would be best for Patton to take a seperate bedroom at first, and only join the others when he felt comfortable. However, it didn't take long for them to realise how much they had needed Patton.  
For Roman, it was the day they moved into their new dorm. “The Palace of Dreams!” Patton declared as he set down the last box. Logan collapsed onto the couch, and Roman curled up in his lap. “Specs, ‘m hungry.” Roman mumbled, and Logan nodded. “Pat, any special toppings?” Patton laughed, before realising that Logan was serious. “Logan, I can’t let you order pizza on our first day in our new home! I'm making lasagna!” Although Roman had his eyes closed, he had heard everything, and he opened his eyes, struggling to stand. “Need any help, bud?” He asked, taking a blind step towards Patton’s voice when he felt a pair of arms turn him back to the couch. “Absolutely not.” Patton said, kind but firm. “You two have been so great with all the boxes, the only thing you need to do right now is take a nap. I’ll wake you up when dinner’s ready.” Roman, too tired and grateful to protest, allowed himself to be pressed back into the couch against Logan, who was already fast asleep. “Warm.” Roman mumbled as he cuddled into Logan, and he heard Patton’s light laughter as he slipped into unconsciousness.  
He woke up dazed, taking a moment to remember where he was and why he wasn't in his bed. As he sat up, Logan began to sit up as well, and they looked around in the darkness for Patton. Logan nudged Roman slightly, and gestured towards a note on the coffee table.  
Roman and Logan,  
I'm sorry, you two were so cute sleeping, not to mention you two worked really hard today, that I just didn't have the heart to wake you up! The lasagna is in the fridge, and I'm in the first bedroom on the right :)  
P.S. Hope you guys don't mind that I set a few things up- we can rearrange tomorrow <3  
-Patton  
Logan walked over to the light, and when he flicked it on, they saw that Patton had unboxed the entire living room and kitchen. Alone. While Logan and Roman slept. Not to mention, he had done it quietly so as not to wake them up. Roman’s heart swelled as he took in the empty boxes stacked by the door. “You hungry, Princey?” Logan asked quietly, and Roman nodded. The two walked into the kitchen, and took the lasagna out of the fridge (that Patton installed by himself) and put a few pieces on a plate (from a cabinet that Patton had stocked by himself) that they then put in the microwave (that, surprise, surprise, Patton installed by himself). Roman glanced at his watch, wincing slightly at the time. 2:51AM. Thank God it was Friday, and they had all weekend to sort through the rest of the boxes. Logan took the plate out before the microwave could beep, and as the two sat down with some forks (once again stocked by Patton), Roman decided “Patton doesn't have to help with any of the unboxing after this.” Logan nodded, taking a bite of the lasagna. “Holy crap.” He whispered as he swallowed, “This is amazing.”  
Roman tried a bit as well, and nodded. “We caught a good one, Specs.” Roman said with a smile, and Logan couldn't agree more.

Although Logan did believe that Patton was something special, he was only 99.4% sure that they would be able to fit him into their life, until a few months after they had moved in together, finals week of their sophomore year in college. The only class that Roman and Logan shared was statistics. Roman took it as his maths requirement, and Logan just enjoyed statistics. Roman was bent over the coffee table, scribbling furiously and muttering about “Stupid numbers not making any stupid sense.” and Logan, was in the dining room, his frustration growing by the second as his nerves began to affect his performance. Just before he could snap at Roman to cool it with the noise, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. “Come on, Lo.” Patton mumbled into his ear, gently prying the pencil away from him, and quietly shushing all of Logan’s protests. “I know, honey, but it’ll still be there tomorrow. You won't get anything done at this hour.” this hour? It was only-  
Oh.  
A quick glance at his watch showed Logan that it was ten to midnight.   
Oops.   
With his fatigue catching up to him, Logan couldn't do anything as Patton led him to the master bedroom. He allowed Patton to gently strip him down to his boxers, and help him under the covers. “Now, you stay there while I go get Princey.” The two shared a smile, and Patton disappeared down the hall. Logan began to drift off, but he was startled by a shout.  
“Go away, Patton!”  
Logan felt his heart break. Patton didn't know how Roman got during finals. It was why the two couldn't even be in the same room while studying, especially statistics, which Roman hated. Patton was just taking care of his soulmates, but Logan was too exhausted to do anything other than hope that Roman would apologise in the morning. He heard Patton gently insisting that Roman come to bed, but Roman kept yelling at him, and Logan couldn't take it. Forcing himself out of bed, he began to creep towards the living room to try and help calm Roman, but just as he rounded the corner to the living room, the yelling stopped. Patton had grabbed Roman by the waist, pulling him against his chest, and kissed him. Logan watched Roman struggle for a brief moment, placing his hands on Patton’s shoulders to shove him away, but instead chose to wrap his arms around Patton’s shoulders. Logan smiled as he watched Roman lean into Patton for a few seconds, before Patton began to pull away for air. Roman melted against Patton, whispering apologies, and Patton just shushed him gently, reassuring him that he knew, and everything was okay. Sensing his presence, Roman turned to where Logan was leaning against the wall, a small smile playing at his lips. Wordlessly, Logan motioned toward the master bedroom with his head, raising an eyebrow at Patton. Patton beamed, and began to help the already nodding of Roman to the bedroom.  
Once the three were cuddled up together, with Patton in the middle, Logan realised that he felt more comfortable and secure than ever. His only thought as he drifted off to sleep was that maybe they should get Patton that dog. Or any sort of warmth, really. His back was cold.


	5. Hurt

Patton fell in love fast, and he fell hard.  
He loved everything about Roman and Logan, from Roman’s theatricality to Logan’s stoic front. Of course, they all knew that the cold shoulder Logan put on was just a front. At home, he was often so hyperactive that he was practically bouncing of the walls.  
“Guys, I’m home!” Patton called as he entered their dorm, closing the door behind him. It was midafternoon on a sunny Tuesday. He expected to see his two boyfriends signing forms that would allow them to keep their dorm over the summer, like almost everyone at their university did.  
(The real world was scary, and most of the student body lived with their soulmates and didn’t want to be split up for the summer)  
What he didn’t expect, though, was to be greeted by a body slamming him up against the door, and a pair of lips forcefully meeting his.  
He wasn’t about to complain, though.  
He did, however, complain when Logan pulled away. He saw the way his boyfriend was grinning maniacally at him and realized what was going on. “You haven’t had any classes today, have you, Lo?” Patton asked, laughing at Logan’s happy nod. Hyperactive Logan was positively adorable, if a little bit hard to control. Whenever Logan got like this he lost all sense of self preservation, and wanted to do the craziest things like-  
“Let’s go get drunk!”  
-Like that.  
“Logan,” Patton began sternly, busting out the Dad Voice™, “We are not going to get drunk” Logan pouted, and tried to counter the dad voice with puppy eyes. “But why?” he asked innocently, and Patton nearly melted. “Because...” He trailed off, trying to think of something Logan wouldn't question “The... chemicals, in alcohol can cause... being less smart in the long run?” He tried. As if a switch had been flipped, Logan stood up straight and began his explanation about how “Actually,-” but never got anywhere because of Roman appearing behind him.   
“We don't have anything alcoholic, Specs.” Roman pointed out, causing Logan to pout again, and Roman and Patton shared a look. Somebody had to take over as the Voice Of Reason™, because as their sophomore year drew to a close, Hyperactive Logan was slowly replacing School Logan. As much as Roman loved how Logan got over the summers, it did lead to the ‘Great Pizza Incident of 2016 That We Don’t Talk About, Roman’, and to be honest, fun as it had been at the time, Roman was not interested in a repeat performance. Not to mention, Hyperactive Logan seemed to bring out Padre Patton, as Roman had deemed the times when Patton essentially had to babysit them, and Padre Patton could usually lead to Incredibly Needy Roman, and Patton would have to divide his attention between his two equally adorable boyfriends, which was immensely difficult. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, really. Logan just felt comfortable enough around them to forgo his ADHD medication, Patton had very strong Paternal instincts, and Roman...  
Roman’s own father never had those instincts, So when he saw Patton caring for Logan, even the smallest things, he remembered exactly why he was the only one of them who didn't call their parents once a week. Patton was so happy that Roman trusted him enough to open up to him after only a few months of dating, and never wanted Roman to feel less than fully appreciated.  
But that didn't change the fact that they needed an adult, and not one who would cave to Logan’s puppy eyes like Patton looked very close to doing. “Stay strong, Padre.” Roman said as Logan continued to stare up at Patton in a silent plea, but man, easier said than done. They could’ve gone on like that for hours, but a knock at the door caused the three of them to turn in unison. “Um, who is it?” Roman asked, confused. The three of them exchanged glances, silently confirming that none of them had invited anyone. “I.. It’s... Patton? You in there?” Patton’s face lit up in recognition. “Vi!” He yelled with a smile, rushing to open the door. The three each had to do a double take at the sight of the boy on the other side of the door. His hair was a mess, and he looked like he had rolled out of bed and promptly walked into every door, wall, and tree on campus. “Virgil!” Patton cried out in shock, ushering the shaking boy into their room and onto the couch, “What on Earth happened to you?” Logan closed the door, and shared a glance with Roman. “Virgil?” Logan mouthed, and Roman just shrugged. For some reason, the name sounded somewhat familiar, but he couldn't place where he’d heard it before. Still, he was positive that he’d never seen this kid before, and he was fairly certain that Patton had never mentioned him. Regardless, Logan went to get some frozen peas, and he walked over to the where Patton was walking Virgil through a breathing exercise to stop his shaking, and sat down on the boy’s other side. Quickly taking in the erratic breathing coupled with the shaking and stuttering, Roman felt a pang of pity. He had had quite a few panic attacks, mostly before shows, and he rarely didn't have anyone to talk him down before finding Logan in senior year. Tentatively, he placed a hand on Virgil’s head and began carding his fingers through his hair, which was incredibly soft. The boy leaned into his touch ever so slightly, which Roman took as a good sign. They stayed like that for a few minutes, Patton was gently rubbing his back and coaching him through breathing exercises, Roman playing with his hair, and Logan leaning over the back of the couch to press the frozen peas to Virgil’s swollen face, until Virgil was ready to talk. He grabbed Patton’s hand and gave it a small squeeze, causing all three of them to turn smile at him encouragingly. “I...” Virgil began, taking a deep breath. “Patton, I left Dee.” Patton gasped. Everyone in their Psychology year knew about Virgil and Dee. Virgil was born with no soul marks, and as a result, people just assumed that he would live and die alone, which absolutely ruined Virgil. Virgil, sweet, sweet, Virgil, who tried to hate a world that hated him, but he was simply too kind. Patton didn't know Virgil’s full history with Dee, but he did know that they began dating in high school, and Virgil had been hiding bruises for just as long. Patton had always known that the man was bad for Virgil, he could always see the anger surrounding him when he’d come to pick him up from classes, Dee just wasn't the type of person Patton would want to associate with, which made no sense because Patton adored Virgil. “Virgil, I'm so proud of you! But honey, I thought you two were living together, do you need help?” Virgil looked up at Patton, completely helpless. “I... I don't- I just had to leave, I didn't even think- I left all my things- I can't go back, Patton you have to understand, I can't go back, he’ll kill me!” For the first time ever, Virgil looked Patton in the eyes. He felt something run through his veins, but he would focus on that later. There was work to be done.  
All three of them knew what they had to do. “What’s your dorm number?” Roman asked. Virgil turned to Roman, eyes widening. Roman felt real pain at the genuine fear in those eyes. “No,” He began, “You can’t go there, he might still- He’ll get mad!” Logan place a reassuring hand on Virgil’s shoulder. “Virgil.” He said softly, causing Virgil to turn to him. Logan faltered slightly at Virgil’s eyes. They were red and puffy, and the areas around were black, blue, purple, and yellow. “Please let us help you.” Virgil nodded slightly. “3 floors down. He mumbled, “Room 315.” Logan and Roman stood up together, and Patton continued to calm Virgil. “Everything will be okay, Vi.” Patton kept saying, “Roman and Logan are very strong, not to mention, it’ll be two against one. If they even have to fight. He might not even give them any trouble.” Virgil nodded, wanting to believe that everything would be okay, and Patton pulled Virgil in for a hug, wanting nothing more than to make this poor boy feel loved.


	6. Worthless

Virgil was used to pity.  
He was born without any sort of soul mark. No timer, no tattoo, no missing senses, nothing. Needless to say, he made for an easy target growing up. Lucky for him, his mom’s job required constant moving, so every few months he got a fresh start until someone inevitably found out. It wasn’t until his junior year of high school, when his mother told him that they were staying in Houston, Texas for the next two years, just long enough for Virgil to graduate at this new school.   
Naturally, they moved during November.   
Tugging on the sleeves of his dark gray hoodie, he wandered through the halls of the nameless public high school, looking for his homeroom class. It was just after first bell, so the halls were empty and Virgil could prepare himself for the torment of “Hi, I'm Virgil, I just moved from Denver, and my favorite color is purple” like every other new teacher made him introduce himself. “Do you need help?” a voice said behind him. Virgil turned, and was greeted with the friendliest face he had ever seen. The stranger had kind eyes, and a smile to match. “Um, yeah.” Virgil stammered, holding his paper out to the other man. “I’m looking for my, uh, homeroom. I'm new here. Virgil Foley. That’s, uh. Me.” Virgil could have kicked himself. What business did he have developing feelings for someone? He didn't deserve love. If he did, he would've been born with a soulmark. “Virgil, huh?” The man smiled, and Virgil’s heart skipped a beat. “I’m Dee. And apparently,” he looked at the paper in Virgil's hand, “We’re in the same home room. Come on, now I have an excuse for why I was late.” He winked, and Virgil almost fainted. Maybe this school would be better.  
\--------------------------------  
He had a date.  
With Dee.  
Dee, with the kindest eyes ever. Dee, who laughed at Virgil’s jokes. That Dee. Wanted to go get coffee. With Virgil.  
And it was great.  
Virgil learned that Dee did have a soulmark, a beautiful sleeve of flowers with a snake wrapped around it, but he wasn't going to let that stop him from putting himself out there and falling in love. Dee believed that it was his right to love whoever he wanted, and if his soulmate really loved him, then they would respect that. It gave Virgil enough confidence to confess his lack of a soulmark, and Dee didn't even blink. “Just means I won't have to worry about anyone stealing you away from me.” He had said with a smile, causing Virgil to blush. It was nice. Dee was nice.  
Until he wasn't.  
It was so gradual that Virgil didn't even realise that their relationship had taken a turn for the worse until he was buying foundation to hide his bruises. In public, they were still Vi and Dee, the adorable couple that you would never know they weren't soulmates unless they were both wearing tee-shirts. But in private, they were Dee, the kind soul, and Virgil, who wasn’t worthy of kindness. Virgil silently hoped that he would get accepted to some faraway university where he could be free from his boyfriend, but Dee had applied to all the same schools Virgil had, and he demanded to know where he had finally decided on going, and the fall after senior year, the two were moving into their soulmate dorm at the University of Florida, and Virgil was buying a new bottle of concealer on the first of every month. He began his major in psychology, deciding that he wanted to help people avoid unhealthy situations like his, and Dee began his degree in law. He was constantly reminded of how lucky he was to have such a smart boyfriend who could support him.  
And then he met Patton.  
Patton was so bubbly, he just bounded up to Virgil like a hyperactive puppy one day and declared that they were friends. He told Virgil how much he loved his makeup, and that he should try definitely teach Patton how to do that someday. He called Virgil ‘kiddo’. He would show Virgil pictures of puppies and kittens, he would lend Virgil his notes because God knows the boy never wrote anything down. Patton was so sweet, and Virgil couldn't even bring himself to look him in the eyes. He almost did a few times, like on the day Patton ran into class screaming, “I met my two soulmates, people!” everyone had cheered, and Virgil mumbled a “Congratulations, Patton.” as he tried to hide the tears forming in his eyes. Patton deserved everything good in the world, everything that Virgil wasn't. That day, he had tried to leave class without his daily ‘Chattin’ With Patton’, but Patton chased him down the hall, and spoke to him with a concerned tone. “Virgil, buddy... Is everything okay with Dee?” Virgil nodded quickly, trying to escape the situation. “Dee is great. I love Dee. I gotta go, bye.” Just before he managed to bolt, Patton pointed to a spot on his cheek. “What’s this?”  
Virgil’s hand flew to where Patton was pointing, trying not to curse. He had been wiping at his face earlier, he must have rubbed off his concealer, exposing the dark bruise underneath. “I walked into a wall.” Virgil said, thinking quickly. He looked away, because he knew that he wouldn't be able to handle seeing Patton’s face. They both knew where that bruise came from, but they would both pretend that it was okay. “Virgil.” Patton said, taking a small step back, “Just know that I'm always here, if you need to talk, or... need a place to stay. Anything. I'm in building 2, room 327.”  
The world did not deserve Patton Morgan.  
“I know Patton, thanks.” Virgil said, and bolted. He was late. Dee knew when he finished class, he would be wondering where he was  
\----------------------  
Two weeks later, he found the strength.  
It was mid afternoon, and Dee was drunk. And when Dee got drunk, Virgil got scared. There had been some yelling, just the usual, nothing that was too much, but then Dee took it too far. “You should be thankful that I pitied you.” Dee had growled, “And I never asked for anything in return. Hell, I never even asked to fuck you because I knew that you were too broken for anything that would make you worthwhile. No, I knew that keeping you around would get the world off my back about my soulmate. Figured that whenever I found them I could dump you like the trash you are, and then-”  
“No.” Virgil whispered.  
Dee snarled. “Excuse me?”  
“I. Am. Not. Trash.” Virgil spoke through gritted teeth, “And I’m fucking done with you treating me like I am.”  
Ignoring the shouts from Dee, and narrowly avoiding being hit by a plate, Virgil ran out of the dorm, slamming the door behind him, and taking off towards room 327, praying that Patton and his soulmates would know what to do.


	7. Wish

“We can definitely get him kicked out for this!”  
The four were back on the couch, this time Roman was cursing each time Patton pressed an ice pack into the bruise blossoming on his face, and Logan was hugging Virgil and assuring him that it wasn’t his fault. “Dee was ignoring us after we informed him what we had come for.” Logan reminded Roman, who was moaning over how much makeup it would take to hide this for his next performance, “You decided to yell at him. The man is drunk, we’re just lucky he had someone over to hold him back after the first punch.” Virgil turned to Logan. “Dee had a... someone over? What did they look like?” Logan tried to remember. He didn't really get a good look at the girl, but... “she had a tattoo.” Logan remembered, “She was wearing a tank top, and she had this whole sleeve. Flowers, I think, but something wrapped around them, a snake, maybe?” He watched Virgil crumple, and managed to put the pieces together. “Oh, Virgil...” Logan pulled him against his chest, gently encouraging him to let it all out. Patton and Roman smiled at Logan. They both wanted to help, but Patton knew about how Virgil didn't like to be touched. Too much at once could have a negative effect. Instead, Patton moved to the kitchen and began scooping ice cream into four bowls, and Roman started flipping through his extensive collection of Disney movies, finally inserting Black Cauldron. No songs, Virgil seemed like the type who would like it. Wordlessly, Roman sat down next to Logan, who squeezed his hand, and Patton handed each one of them a bowl of vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles, which each of the three others gladly accepted. Patton gently placed his arm around Virgil, who leaned into the touch. Logan pulled Roman in to cuddle, pressing a kiss to his temple and whispering “I love you” Roman smiled, ignoring the dull pain on his face as he was surrounded by love. They would help Virgil, but not right now. Right now, this was what was best for all of them.  
\------------------------  
Virgil wasn’t used to feeling loved, but he sure wished he could get used to it.  
Each one of the other 3 had their own way of reminding him that he was worthwhile, even wanted.  
He was used to Patton being extremely hyper, but at the end of the day, the man was a psychology major. He understood Virgil’s anxiety better than any of his friends from Houston (Dee’s friends) and expressed his love by always making sure that Virgil had a seat next to him. Although they were living together, there were days when Virgil preferred to be alone, and on those days Patton would leave a few minutes early so that Virgil would be able to walk alone.  
Well, almost alone.  
Roman Prince, who truly earned his name, never let Virgil be alone in between classes. Even if he was late, and even if he had to be completely silent, which was definitely hard for him, he would escort Virgil to each of his classes, and then back to their dorm at the end of the day. Once they were home, Patton would prepare them all dinner, and later, Logan would ask Virgil for help with a few problems.  
Which was interesting.  
Virgil was very much aware of the fact that Logan didn't need help with his problems. Logan Roberts was incredible at what he did, everyone knew that. But he had told them all that he took chemistry in high school, and since then Logan would pop up next to him, a shy smile tugging at his lips, and he would wordlessly hold out a notebook with some problem that probably wasn't even in the material, but Virgil would still explain step by step how to solve it. It was nice, the time he spent with each of them. With Patton, he could feel like a normal kid, who always had a friend waiting for him in class. With Roman, he could feel important, being escorted everywhere like someone who actually mattered. With Logan, he could feel useful, like like Logan actually needed his help. However, he could admit that he noticed the others... change slightly, around him.   
Patton was such a paternal guy, and Virgil could tell that Patton treated Virgil and the others the way that he did because it was simply in his nature. Patton had so much love to give, and Virgil was so happy to be on the receiving end of some of it.   
Roman really was a knight in shining armor. He needed to feel like he was helping, and Virgil could see the light in his eyes whenever he walked Virgil to class, even when he requested total silence.   
Logan was slightly different than the other two. After living with them for a few weeks, he had gotten to see the different sides of the 3, but Logan was something special. He really was a totally different person in public and in private, and whenever Virgil was explaining problems, he could always feel Logan curling into him, finally resting after a long day of... being Logan.  
When all of them were together, Virgil felt whole. Even on his worst days, when his anxiety wouldn't even let him go to class, Patton would knock on his door with a bowl of ice cream, and all four of them would curl up on the couch with a big blanket and watch Disney movies.  
Virgil loved the time they all spent together, but all good things come to end, and for Virgil, that end came every night. Every time they shut off the T.V, they would all wish each other sweet dreams, and then Virgil would watch as the 3 of them would all head towards their master bedroom, and Virgil would slink off to his room, alone, wishing that he could be apart of what they had, wishing he could believe that they weren’t just pitying him, wishing that he could have a soulmate.


	8. Falling

Patton really loved Virgil.  
He had taken a liking to hi the day they had met, but he really realized that he loved him on the first day of summer vacation. Roman and Logan had gone out on some errands, a task that they did only once a month and therefore took an entire day, so Patton and Virgil had to figure out how they were going to spend their day.  
At roughly 10am, Patton assumed that Virgil was planning on spending the day in his room, and settled on the couch to marathon Stranger Things. He wished that he had Logan with him to cuddle and remind him that it’s all pretend, or even Roman who could tell him that he would slay the Demogorgon if it would make Patton happy. But instead, he curled up with the cat plushie Roman and Logan got him when they moved into their dorm, and counted the minutes until they would get home.  
Somewhere during the fifth episode, he was beginning to fall asleep when he felt a body drop onto the couch beside him, wordlessly curling into him. Patton looked down and saw Virgil snuggling against his chest, (‘not unlike a kitten would’, Patton thought with a smile,) and yawned, closing his eyes. “You, uh… comfy there, Virgil?” Patton asked carefully, not wanting Virgil to think that Patton didn’t enjoy his company. Virgil only pushed himself impossibly closer to Patton, mumbling, “’M tired. Y’re warm.” and Patton’s heart melted.  
Yes, he could definitely say that he loved Virgil, and he was sure that the others would agree.  
\--------------------  
Roman realized that he loved Virgil on the first day of July.  
Roman was in one of the spare bedrooms that he had turned into his own office, dramatically singing along to Dead Girl Walking as he doodled, when he just barely heard a soft knock at his door. Stopping his phone, he opened the door to see Virgil standing there, beet reed, holding a large black bag. “Need, anything, Virge?” Roman asked, stepping aside to let him know that he was welcome. Virgil took a small step into the room, taking a second to marvel at all the playbills and pictures of performances Roman starred in. “Um, yeah...” Virgil mumbled. “It’s stupid, but... Can I, um, can I do your makeup?” He asked quickly. Roman turned to him. He only wore makeup during performances, but he was very much aware that Virgil would wear concealer to cover bruises, and once they faded he continued to do it out of habit. It looked like he had much more in that bag than just concealer, and Roman had to admit that he was intrigued. “Yeah, sure.” he said, plopping onto the floor, and motioning for Virgil to join him. “You’re okay with it?” Virgil asked, sitting across from him. “I mean- yeah. Sure. Okay. Let’s, yeah. Thanks.” Roman laughed at how red the other man still was.   
About thirty minutes later, Virgil pulled away after the final touches, “...And, done!” Virgil announced, sounding proud. He held up a mirror, and Roman gasped. He looked positively magnificent. His face was contoured to perfection, and he had a cherry rep lip, but it was the eyes that really took his breath away. They were a beautiful blend of red and gold, his favorite colors. His eyeliner was perfectly winged, and sharp enough to slay a dragon witch. Yes, he would definitely be wearing makeup more often. He felt beautiful. “Virgil,” Roman wondered aloud, “If you know to do such amazing things with makeup, why don't you do it to yourself? I mean, you're already perfect as you are, but man, you could be turning heads left and right!” Virgil shrugged. “The only eyes I need on me are Patton’s, Logan’s, and your’s.”  
In that moment, Roman forgot that Virgil wasn’t technically his soulmate. He would love this man with all his heart, and he was sure the others would agree.  
\-----------------  
Logan wasn't the best with emotions.  
Obviously, he loved both Roman and Patton with all his heart, and he would never do anything to jeopardize what they had, but the more time he spent with Virgil, the more his stomach did the flippy thing biology can't explain. He really understood what he was feeling on a sunny day in mid July. There was an adoption day on campus, and Patton had demanded that someone come with him to pet all the dogs, to which Roman happily agreed. Meanwhile, Virgil was sketching something while curled up on the armchair, and Logan was on the couch beside him, watching Bones while debating taking his medication. He knew that he could get... difficult, without his pills, and with Patton out for the next few hours, he didn't want to burden Virgil with taking care of him. He had 4 hour pills, and surely his doctor wouldn't mind if he took the pills a few times over the summer, because-  
“My cousin has ADHD.”  
Logan turned to Virgil, confused as to what prompted him to say that. “Um, okay?” Logan said, unsure. Virgil rolled his eyes. “My cousin, Remy. he’s gonna be starting here in the fall, uh, Linguistics, I think. He’s always dreaming up some crazy fantasy world. Wants to be a writer someday.” Logan must have looked even more confused, so Virgil continued. “What I’m trying to say, is that you don't have to be embarrassed about being a little crazy from time to time. I already like you, a chemical imbalance isn’t going to change that.”   
Logan’s heart filled with love for Virgil. The two shared a smile, and Virgil set his sketchpad behind him, and turned to Logan with a mischievous glint in his eyes that Logan had never seen before. “Hey, wanna send Princey anonymous texts saying that his vocal range will never be as good as Mariah Carey?” He asked. Logan matched Virgil’s evil smirk with one of his one, “Can we also order something not healthy for dinner before Patton finds out?”  
Yes, Logan could safely say that he loved Virgil, and he was sure that the others would agree.  
\----------------------  
Logan, Roman, and Patton were all laying in their bed, silent. Each one of them was thinking of Virgil, all alone down the hall. Patton, who had always had a knack for picking up on other’s emotions, realized that he wasn't alone. “You two feel it too, huh?” He asked softly. Both Logan and Roman nodded. “Do you think... he feels it?” Roman asked. Logan sighed. “Do you think he can feel like that at all? And for three people, no less? I mean, he doesn't...” he trailed off, not wanting to say it. “There’s no way.” Patton insisted. “There is absolutely no way that Virgil doesn't share some sort of link with us. There’s gotta be something he hasn’t thought of, if we just-” Logan shushed him gently. “Love, don't get worked up, Virgil is sleeping.” He reminded Patton, who nodded. Roman huffed, curling into Patton’s right side. “Tomorrow.” He decided, “We shall begin our quest to win his heart.” He would've sounded a bit more heroic if he hadn’t yawned halfway through, but Logan still smiled as he thought of how much he loved his Prince. As he curled up against Patton’s left, once again wishing he had something- or someone- holding him from behind, he made a silent wish that everything would work out. He knew for a fact that they would accept Virgil regardless of what he was or wasn’t born with, but it wasn't entirely up to them.  
Virgil had to be able to accept himself before he could ever believe that he could be accepted by others.


	9. Bear

Virgil was scared.  
It had been months since he left Dee, and junior year was just around the corner, but Virgil was still terrified. He was so grateful that Roman and Logan had gone to get his stuff for him, but there were still a few things that he didn't have, and he didn't want to bother them and risk them getting hurt again for him.  
But under his old bed, he had a shoe box with a build-a-bear inside. A bear that he got from his dad on the day he was born, and the only thing he got from his dad before...  
Before his mom had to drop out of school because her parents wouldn't tolerate her keeping him.  
Before his father promised her that everything would be okay, that he would support and love them both.  
Before his dad’s parents took them in, and helped his mom get her G.E.D.  
Before his dad got sick.  
Before his mom had to explain to Virgil at 3 years old why daddy was never coming home.  
Blinking back tears, Virgil prepared himself to see... whoever would open the door. He didn't know what would be worse. Seeing Dee, or-  
“Can I help you?”  
The soulmate.  
“Hey.” Virgil said, trying to stand tall. “I, uh. I used to live here, and I left something under the bed. It’s really important, can I please-” The girl laughed. “Of course! Come on, Do you want something to drink?” Virgil shook his head, stepping into the dorm. He looked around, wondering how this was the same dorm he had lived in just months earlier. There were pictures of Dee and this girl smiling, there were flowers on the dining table, the dorm just looked so full of love. “You must be Virgil, right?” the girl asked, still smiling. He nodded, not fully trusting himself to speak again. “I’m Emma. I think we might be in the same statistics class. Professor Stokes, right?” Virgil nodded again as Emma opened the door to the bedroom. Moving quickly, Virgil walked over to the right side of the bed, now covered in Emma’s stuff, and pulled the box out from under the bed, cradling it close to his chest. He could feel the bear inside, and already felt that it was worth it coming back for it. He smiled at Emma, and she walked him to the door. “We should hang out sometime.” Emma suggested, and Virgil faltered. On one hand, she had such kind eyes and seemed like a sweet person, but on the other hand, so did Dee, once upon a time. “Uh, yeah. Sure.” Virgil said, hoping that she wouldn't try and talk to him in class or anything, because God knows Patton would invite her over for dinner within seconds. He mumbled a thank you, and quickly rushed back to his dorm, where he could feel safe.  
\----------------  
When he walked in, ready to run into his room and take a nap, but he was shocked to see a face he knew very well sitting on the armrest, talking to his three roommates and completely unaware of the fact that he had entered the room.   
“Remy?”  
Remy turned to the door, his face lighting up. “Virgil!” He screamed, and Virgil had just enough time to set his box onto the table before he was pulled into a massive bear hug. “Turns out, we’re neighbors! How amazing is that?!”  
It really was amazing. Throughout everything Virgil had been through, Remy had only been a phone call away. He never once reminded Virgil that he was different, and he had been extra cautious around him after he met his own soulmate. Speaking of, “How’s Emil?” Virgil asked, and Remy’s smile got impossibly wider. “Emil is actually really hoping you have the notes from your freshman year so that he can watch Steven Universe instead of Studying. He insists that one day he’ll be known as the psychologist who solves problems through fusions.” Virgil rolled his eyes fondly. Picani was something, and Virgil was so happy that Remy found him. “Speaking of, I should probably go make sure E gets a nap, he’s been unpacking for hours. But you and I are going out for coffee tomorrow. God, I can’t believe we’re neighbors!” He squealed, giving Virgil one last squeeze before he bolted across the hall, screaming “Pico! Nap time!” Virgil smiled fondly, shutting the door and turning towards the 3 on the couch. “So... what were you guys talking about?” The 3 exchanged glances, looking nervous. “Guys?” Virgil asked, concerned. Patton stood up with a smile. “Just discussing when they’ll be coming over for dinner! That Remy is such a sweetheart, it must run in the family!” Virgil flushed. “Okay...” He said, “Well, I gotta go, uh... something. Bye.” He grabbed his box and bolted, ignoring the protests from his roommates. Once he was safely locked in his room, he sat on his bed, took out his bear, hugged it close, and began to cry. He wasn’t crying because he was sad, for once, he finally felt at peace. He had friends, his cousin was right across the hall, and Dee was no longer a part of his life. For the first time, Virgil felt like he could be okay.  
\----------------  
For like, 2 hours.  
After taking a nap with his bear, he woke up to Patton knocking gently on his door, asking him if he wanted to eat dinner with them. Not wanting to worry them, he agreed. As soon as he sat down, he noticed that Patton had made pizza pasta with garlic bread, a recipe Virgil had shown him when he first moved in, and one that his mother would make whenever Virgil was feeling down. Logan was playing with the fidget cube Virgil got him, Patton was humming as he poured everyone glasses of water, and Roman was showing Virgil a makeup look he wanted to try, when they all turned towards a pounding on the door. Patton stood to answer, and just before he opened the door, Virgil realised who it was. That was a very specific knock, that he had heard many times, usually before he would have to cover up yet another bruise. But his protest died in his throat, as Patton opened the door to reveal-  
“What did you tell her?!”  
Dee.  
“Excuse me?” Roman demanded, standing up, “Who do you think you are, interrupting our dinner to-” Dee waved him off, locking eyes with a cowering Virgil. “Emma has been yelling at me for hours, saying that I’m a monster for what I did to you. What. Did. You. Tell. Her.” Virgil tried to shrink into himself, wishing he could just disappear. “N-nothing!” He insisted, “I- I swear, I didn't- I wouldn’t-” Logan stood up, a fire in his eyes and his cube forgotten. “It doesn't matter what he did or didn't do.” Logan said, and Virgil stood up shakily, looking for ways to escape to his room. “Emma is right. You are a despicable human being, and you are not welcome here.” Slowly, Virgil tried to walk away while Dee was turned away, but of course, that would've been too easy. “Oh, nice try!” Dee growled, grabbing Virgil. Virgil felt himself being pulled, felt himself smash into the wall, and heard three gasps of pain as he fell to the ground, where everything went black.


	10. Finally

“Virgil?”  
Virgil groaned, trying to sit up but felt himself get pushed down. “No no, dearest, not yet.”  
Slowly, he opened his eyes, rubbing the back of his head. “What... happened?” he asked, “Why does my head hurt?”  
He realized that he was on his bed, and the other 3 were staring down at him with concerned looks in their eyes. “Virgil...” Logan began, “What is the last thing that you remember?” Virgil thought back to dinner, his eyes widening as he shot up. “Dee was here! Did he- did he hurt you guys? Are you all okay? I am so sorry, he was mad at me-” Roman pushed Virgil down again, gently but firmly. “Virgil, everything is okay. That is, thanks to Patton.” Virgil looked at Patton, just then noticing that he was holding their trusty bag of frozen peas up to his black eye. Before he could ask, Logan filled him in. “After you hit the ground, and after... Roman and I rushed to your side, but Patton here went full Papa Bear mode. I mean, you should have see the state Dee was in when he hightailed it out of here.” Virgil reached out and squeezed Patton’s hand in a silent thanks. Patton still looked miffed, but he smiled at Virgil. But something Logan said didn't sit right with Virgil. “Something else happened.” Virgil said, “After I hit my head, I heard... it sounded almost like you guys were also hit. At the same time. Did he... he didn't-”  
Silently, Patton held out his phone to him, and Virgil saw that it was opened to an article about different soulbonds, and one specific part was highlighted.  
“Pain bonds,” Virgil read aloud, “A much more discreet, yet intimate sort of soul bond. Those with pain bonds are usually confused with those who have no soulmark, but scientists are getting closer to discovering that that simply isn’t possible. A pain bond triggered by eye contact, and one that results in one’s soulmate or soulmates being able to feel one’s pain, and can often result in the deepest type of connections, as now the soulmates are constantly working to keep them safe, especially since there have been reports of soulmate’s pain being amplified, as the thought of their own soulmate getting hurt causes an added dose of pain-” He looked up at the three of them who were staring at him expectantly. “I... hurt you?” He whispered. Roman actually laughed, but Virgil could see the tears he was blinking back. “Virgil, you are too precious for this world! We have just told you that you have a soulbond with 3 people, people you already live with and who already love you, and you're only worried about hurting us! You truly are something special.” Virgil blinked. Roman said they were soulmates. The world was wrong. Virgil wasn’t different. He- all that shit he went through, all that pain, they were for nothing. He had proved them all wrong. “Virge?” Logan asked gently, pulling him out of his thoughts, “What are you thinking?” Virgil looked at Logan, his eyes welling up with tears. “Oh God. Patton-” he began, but Patton was already wrapping him in a hug. “It’s okay, honey. Everything is going to be okay.” Virgil began to cry, too overwhelmed with emotions, and Roman and Logan followed suit. “We should let you rest.” Logan mumbled, “Would you like us to stay?” Roman asked hopefully, and Virgil nodded, not trusting himself to speak. “Well, our bed is bigger, Roman, can you carry him?” Patton asked, and Roman smiled, scooping Virgil up bridal style, causing Virgil to let out a small giggle. The walk to the master bedroom was short, but by the time Roman set Virgil down, he was sound asleep. Patton let out a quiet “Aw, he looks so cute!” Roman marvelled at how peaceful he looked while he was asleep, and the 3 silently agreed that they would do everything in their power to make him stay that content while he was awake. The 3 looked at each other, wondering how they were going to sleep with this extra body. Silently, Logan crawled onto Virgil’s right, throwing an arm around the sleeping man. Patton immediately hopped up onto the bed, snuggling into Virgil’s left. Roman took a few seconds to study his options, before he settled on Logan’s other side. He pulled Logan close, and for once, Logan felt warm everywhere.  
\-------------  
Virgil woke up alone.  
He sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes as he looked around, confused. He took a moment to remember what had happened the night before, and smiled. He could hear music, and his three friends- no, his three soulmates- laughing from the kitchen, so he headed to them.  
He stood in the doorway, taking in the scene around him. Roman was dancing around, singing a song about... stortime? One of his musicals, Virgil assumed. Patton was laughing loudly at the display, expertly flipping pancakes, and Logan was smiling fondly, singing along softly while he looked over the new schedules. Sensing his presence, Logan looked up at Virgil, and the two shared a smile. Roman beamed at him, grabbing him as the song changed to a slow song, twirling him around and leading him in a waltz around the kitchen, while they all laughed. Patton set a plate of pancakes in front of each of them, and Logan began pointing out which classes they would all have together, and informed Virgil that Remy was coming to get him at noon for coffee. Roman and Patton looked a bit concerned, not wanting to let Virgil out of their sight quite yet, but Virgil assured them he would be fine. Though he could admit that it was nice, having people look out for him. Having people care.  
\-------------  
“Virgil, I’m so happy for you!”  
Virgil blushed as Remy kept going on about how Virgil truly deserved all the love in the world, and that those 3 were such good guys. “Remember when I was talking to them before?” Virgil nodded, “Well, get this; They were already head over heels for you, they were asking me for advice on the best way to... pursue you.” He winked, and Virgil flushed. He was just so full of love for those guys, it was unbelievable. “I really am lucky.” Virgil said, taking a sip of his coffee. “Oh no, my dear cousin.” Remy said dramatically, “This is fate.”  
\--------------  
The four were just taking their seats in statistics, on the first day of Junior year, laughing at another one of Patton’s jokes, when a girl wearing a long sleeve shirt walked up to them, looking nervous. “Hi, Virgil.” She said, causing all of them to look up. “Uh, hi, Emma.” Virgil said, watching his soulmates’ eyes widen in recognition. “Can I, uh, talk to you? In private?” Emma asked, fidgeting. “I’ll just be a second, I promise.” She assured the others. Logan looked her up and down, trying to think of a reason that she would want to talk to Virgil alone, and Patton and Roman looked ready to deck her if Virgil so much as flinched. “Yeah, of course.” Virgil said, standing. He motioned for the boys to stand down, which they reluctantly did, and Logan pulled out a notepad, motioning for Patton and Roman to help him plan their grocery list. Virgil and Emma walked out of the lecture hall, Emma pulling on her sleeves nervously the whole time. She took a deep breath, avoiding Virgil’s eyes. “I’m living alone this year.” She said, looking up at him, “I just- when you came to get your box, I could see how scared you were until you realised Dee wasn’t there. And then, when he- when he hurt you, I just couldn't. I went to stay with my friend Valerie- she’s actually friends with Roman- and she told me that Roman absolutely adores you, and I’ve only heard good things, and I just, I can't help but feel responsible. I mean, Dee only did the things he did because he hadn’t met me yet, because I never tried to look for my soulmate, if I had just-”  
Virgil pulled her into a hug, cutting her off. “You don't have to apologise for his actions. Besides, if anything, I should be apologising to you. He was so kind when I met him...” Emma waved him off. “No way. Let’s just agree that neither one of us apologises, and we can just... be friends?” she asked, holding her hand out with a hopeful smile. Virgil shook it with a laugh. “Friends.” He agreed, and the two walked in together. Virgil took his seat next to Patton, motioning for Emma to sit next to him, which she gladly did. Mr. Stokes entered, welcoming everyone to Junior year, and class began.  
\-------------  
Naturally, the world couldn't give him a break.  
As the five of them were gathering their belongings, they heard an all too familiar voice behind them.  
“Well, isn’t this precious.”  
Rolling his eyes, Virgil turned around to see none other than-  
“Fuck off, Dee.” Emma snarled, and Dee gasped in mock offense. “Now, is that any way to talk to your soulmate, Emma?” Logan scoffed. “Um, actually, you have to have a soul in order to be eligible for a soulmate. Sorry, but you don't qualify.” Roman discreetly held out his fist, and Logan bumped it with his own. “Yeah, sorry bud, but we’re going to have to ask you to move, you're in our way.” Patton said, smiling, yet his eyes held a fire that had Virgil almost feeling sorry for Dee.  
Almost.  
“I don't think you understand.” Dee said, locking eyes with Emma, “You’re coming with me, and I won't ask again.” Roman rolled his eyes.   
“Will you just piss off, Mr.Dee-spicable?” He asked, annoyed.  
“Nice.” Logan said.  
“Thank you.” Roman said, “But seriously. Back off, before we make you. And we all know how that ended last time. Tell me, how is your arm?” Virgil looked and noticed that Dee’s right arm was indeed in a sling. Woah. Dee faltered for a moment, but quickly regained his confidence. “Now, we wouldn't want to cause a scene in public would we?” Virgil glanced around noticing that roughly half of his class was watching. “This will be much easier if you just come with me, and we can-”  
“No.”  
Dee turned to Virgil, struggling to keep his smile in place. “Excuse me?”  
“You heard me.” Virgil said, matching his gaze. “She is not your property. She’s a better person than you can ever hope to be, and you sure as hell don't deserve to be breathing the same air as her, let alone call her your soulmate. So you have two options: You can back the fuck off and live to see another day, or,” He gestured to where his soulmates had abandoned the smiles and were just waiting for Virgil’s que to pounce, “My 3 amazing soulmates can teach you a little lesson about what happens when you mess with our friends.” Dee looked at them, and once he realised that he was hopelessly outnumbered, turned and calmly walked out of the room. “So long, Dee-ceit!” Roman called after him, earning himself another fist bump from Logan. The room was silent for a moment, and then everyone continued to gather their things like nothing had happened. But something had happened. Emma turned to Virgil. “Thank you.” She said, giving him a soft squeeze. Patton came around her other side, throwing his arm around her with a smile. “Of course, Emma! Now, come on, we gotta get Roman to the arts building.” Emma looked at them, “Really? You want me to walk with you guys?” Roman smiled, leading them out to the hall.   
“Of course! After all, you make our Virgil happy, and that’s good enough for us to call you a friend.”  
“Friends are a good thing.” Logan agreed as the walked down the hall.  
Virgil pushed the doors open, finally happy. Finally accepting himself. Finally smiling at the blue sky for the first time in years.  
“And there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing.”


End file.
